Photo by Guillaume Grasse

Our JTS French ambassador William Thurman grabbed us up another great interview, this time with French producer (and great find) vOPhoniQ, and we’ll be hosting a Free DL of one of his previously non-free tracks here on JTS for our next Free Track Friday!

1. vOPhoniQ, could you start by presenting yourself for JOINTHESTUDIO.COM and our trans-atlantic friends?

YO! my name is vOPhoniQ, its been doing music for a couple of years, and I am now rolling with Dawn Records.

2. Here at Jointhestudio, we particularly like the sonic aesthetic of labels like brainfeeder, have you been influenced by this American glitch hip hop scene for your first EP Human&Computer (oct.2009) or did the inspiration come naturally? (I personally really enjoy the Try me 1.4)

Well, I was mostly listening to some hip hop, some soul, funk and was already doing some beats until my buddy (Everydays) introduced me to Dilla and his crazy groove. I was really into this kind of groove (which I thought was pretty extreme), I am thinking of guys like D’angelo (I used to listen a lot to Voodoo back then). So from that, I found Amp Fiddler, rediscovered The Meters, Eryrah Badu, the Coltrane Family and so on…
It really changed my way of seeing music, as something more oval than rigid, squared.
Right after that, I discovered FlyLo with LosAngeles. It was for me a huge wake up call for me of all those influences; one motherfuckin’ sweet groove, a treatment of sound, of compression, which is pretty unique in my eyes. I listened to this album ten time a day for six month, just like a little 90s kid with his gremlin tapes. Then, after that, I got a lot more into the whole LA scene, especially with Madlib and so on…

3. a. Listening to your first EP and the Rainbows EP, could you tell us what is making your sound to evolve in a more techno 4/4 way? Is it for a logical evolution of your sound or a drastic change?

It is a logical evolution, well, I am really feeling like this is what I want to do right now, so I am do it, leaving no barriers in my musical productions.
And really, my first impulse to do music, its comes from French DJs Laurent Garnier and Agoria.

3.b. Is there a major shift in your way to approach production since you last project and Cosmogonie, your first album? Generally, how did you start in terms of composition?

For my first EP, it was really instinctive, I sampled here and there stuff that would make sense for me and for the general concept of “Human & Computer”. For example, in the “Reclame” track, I used a Jimi Hendrix sample from his live at Woodstock. It represents the human side. Reclame = Advertising, comes at a moment in the album where the “Computer” side has taken onto a bigger role. It was very much like a cut and paste kind of approach, then adding on some synths…But all of that was without any strong production skills.

In between, I got to be more into it and I started to really see how EQ, reverb and other technical stuff really help the production feel and the way to approach as a whole your sound. I still use a lot of sampling, but it is not as predominant and now, I know how to kick it with my synth haha!

I don’t follow any strict rule to start a track, it can come either from a rhythmic pattern, a melody or from sampling my fridge’s noise.

4.a. Is your next LP going to be more about listening to it in your house with a cup of tea or on the contrary in the club?

I guess both, but it is going to feel great with a big sound system.

4. b. It seems that 2011 was really a key year for live shows rather than just DJ sets. Are you preparing a live set? As it become an important part in your sound aesthetic?

Personally, I have never done DJ sets. I would not do it since I don’t define myself as DJ for now.
But I am working with a drummer for my new live show

5. What do you think about Lyon (France) as a musical scene? Is it becoming a unified one or is it still only little groups just making beats? Your record label (Dawn Records) makes me think a little bit about the label Nacopajaz (from Toulouse), pushing electronica music as a whole and trying not to confine to the standard of a Parisian techno label.

I don’t know really, there are more and more DJs, DJs/Producers and labels… It’s quite inspiring; especially considering how shallow the scene was before. But it is only a start, just the acceptable minimum.

6. Besides music production, what are your other interests? Do you think you are going to stay in Lyon?

I do a little bit of video and graphic work from time to time (just like the artwork for the album “Cosmogonie”). I have a computer man! I don’t think i’ll stay in Lyon for too long. Even if the local scene gets bigger, it will stay too restrictive and boring. Having said that, I don’t think it only occurs in Lyon, even though it clearly lacks a bigger club scene.

7. What’s next? Any shows coming?

Not really, I am waiting for May, and then I’ll be on fire!

Jointhestudio would like to thank vOPhoniQ for taking time to answer our question.

All the best for your next album!

Writer for Join the Studio.  Im an artist, Turntablist/DJ, producer, designer, student at SAIC, and I run The Studio with a bunch of other awesome people. Art portfolio: www.behance.net/samrolfes Free music: www.soundcloud.com/shardstyle JOIN US: http://jointhestudio.com/join